The first climate building association

10. August 2016

With its cooperation with myclimate, the non-profit Gemeinnützige Bau- und Mietergenossenschaft Zürich (building and tenant association Zurich, GBMZ) is engaged in pioneering work in Switzerland. It invests in the energy efficiency of its buildings, while unavoidable emissions are compensated in climate protection projects. With this commitment, the GBMZ is the first housing cooperative to be awarded the myclimate label for climate-neutral building operation.

„Greencity“ in Zurich-Manegg – With the GBMZ being one of the holding, a new and sustainable district with living and working room as well as commercial premises is being built as the first certified 2000 watt area in Switzerland

In November 2015, the board of the GBMZ advocated climate-neutral building operation in all of its properties to intensify the existing sustainability strategy. Together with myclimate environmental scientists the GBMZ determined its building emissions. The greenhouse gases caused by the heating, hot water and the general electricity consumption are fully compensated.

Based on the analysis, the GBMZ has established a fixed compensation payment of five francs per apartment per month. This payment not only ensures compensation. By financing efficiency measures in the energy field within the GBMZ, half of the payment also contributes to effective local climate protection. For the compensation the GBMZ opted for myclimate projects on Madagascar and in Nicaragua. As a result, the GBMZ will be able to display the “myclimate neutral building operation” label in future.

“Cooperatives have anchored the concept of sustainability per se in their structure. For us and our cooperative members, the model represents a natural, pioneering step towards a sustainable future,” says Matthias Lüthi, CEO of the GBMZ, explaining the motivation that has led to the première of the climate cooperative. “We do not claim to be exclusive and would be delighted to have some ‘copycats’,” adds Lüthi.More information on the myclimate “climate cooperative” model